Wake Up Call: Usha Vance Longs to Be a Big Law Lawyer Again

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Second Lady and former Munger, Tolles & Olson lawyer Usha Vance expressed ambivalence about her new public role in a recent interview with Meghan McCain, revealing she learned of her husband JD Vance’s vice-presidential candidacy just minutes before it was announced. Once in Big Law, Vance reflected longingly on her previous life, saying in an ideal world she’d return to her legal career and home in Cincinnati. (The Cut)
• Former University of Michigan football assistant coach Matt Weiss switched legal representation in his federal criminal case, replacing Ann Arbor defense attorney Douglas Mullkoff with Washington-based criminal lawyer David Benowitz. Weiss faces 24 federal charges related to an alleged hacking scheme targeting over 100 universities and more than 3,000 athletes. (Detroit Free Press)
• Jason Lee Van Dyke, a longtime lawyer for far-right and violent extremist groups, appears to be leading Brazilian jiu-jitsu training for Patriot Front. Van Dyke, who was previously suspended by the Texas Bar, posted about earning his black belt on June 1—one day before a Patriot Front-affiliated gym congratulated a trainer named “John,” widely believed to be Van Dyke’s alias “John TX.” (Southern Poverty Law Center)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Stephanie Yarbrough and Brendan Staley joined DLA Piper as partners in its corporate practice.
• Clayton Falls joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its litigation practice in Dallas. He joins from K&L Gates.